Italy Courses
Visual Arts - Brian Kelly
VIAR 321/ HUMN 300/ HONR 365 - Gouged and Pressed From Donatello to Mantegna to Durer: Connecting the Renaissance to the Hand Pulled Print
In this art history course, you will explore the development of printmaking from the Renaissance, designed to be accessible to both Visual Arts majors and minors as well as students from other disciplines.
Printmaking has long been both a tool and an artistic practice, bringing images to the public through illustrated books, newspapers, and artistic prints. The invention of the Gutenberg press transformed Italy during the Renaissance, and by the 15th century, prints were mass-produced, making art accessible to the middle and lower classes. These prints often featured works by renowned artists like Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Titian.
Course content is structured to ensure wide accessibility through readings, lectures, films, museum and church visits, and hands-on demonstrations. While in Florence and surrounding regions, you will examine how Renaissance printmaking influenced both art and society. Key site visits will include the Uffizi Gallery, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Museo degli Argenti, Bargello Museum, Boboli Gardens, Academia, Fondazione Bisonte, and the Armadillo Atelier, where you will study prints, drawings, and paintings firsthand. Additionally, you will visit Italian printmaking workshops to gain technical insights into how various types of prints are created.
VIAR 309/ HUMN 300/ HONR 365 - Florence: Observed, Marked, or Pressed: A personal Visual Journey Through Florence
This studio art course is open to Visual Arts majors and minors as well as students from other fields. No prior experience in the visual arts is required to succeed in this course. The course content will be accessible to all and delivered through readings, lectures, films, museum and church visits, and hands-on demonstrations.
Florence has long inspired artists, from Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci to Botticelli and Dante. As you explore Florence, you will use its landscape, museums, and culture as inspiration for your own creative projects. Guided by your individual interests, you will explore different artistic mediums while drawing inspiration from Florence’s rich history and artistic heritage. You will visit renowned sites such as the Uffizi Gallery, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Museo degli Argenti, Bargello Museum, Boboli Gardens, Academia, Fondazione Bisonte, and Armadillo Atelier. These locations will serve as your classroom and artistic inspiration, allowing you to develop your own woodcut prints. The course also includes drawing workshops to help refine your creative ideas, as well as hands-on sessions in both papermaking and printmaking. You will experiment with different mediums like acrylic paint, watercolor, oil pastel, charcoal, conte, and graphite, incorporating them into your drawings and ultimately producing a printed edition of your work.
Architecture and Design - Ashlie Boelkins
DSGN 471 (G) - The Italian Sketchbook: Seeing, Drawing & Thinking in Public Spaces & Gardens
Italian Villas and Gardens stand as exquisite examples of the world's most breathtaking spaces. Thinking by Sketching will transform and refine your observation skills to “see” the world in a new way and learn from masterworks of the world's most breathtaking plazas, buildings and museums that house exquisite collections of Italian art and objects. Join us to explore the elements and principles of design through close examination and sketching of these exciting interior and exterior spaces and details. Discover the secrets behind timeless beauty and unlock your own creative potential in this extraordinary journey of artistic exploration.
DSGN 474 (G) - Exploring the Old & the New: Italian Architecture & Design
Witness the captivating world of Italian design, where the historic and contemporary converge, immersing yourself in the exploration of exterior and interior public spaces and objects. As supplemented by travel excursions and readings, students across disciplines will ponder and theorize on how human centered design can impact a culture through art, architecture and design. The projected sites for this journey may include Venice's Piazza San Marco and the works of Carlos Scarpa, Rome's Pantheon, Villa d'Este, and Villa Borghese, as well as, Florence's Santa Croce, Uffizi Galleries, Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace. Immerse yourself in the splendor of these historically significant locations, where the fusion of art, architecture and nature remains a testament to their enduring legacy.
Mandated for ALL Participants
Humanities 300: Italian Language & Culture
This course provides an introduction to conversational Italian language and will expose students to various aspects of the Italian culture. The language component is held three (3) hours per week. The additional components are held at various times (day and evenings) throughout the six-week period. This course will include:
Pre-Departure Orientation – Preparation for travel and life in Italy
Italian Language – Conversational Italian taught by local language school
Cooking Italian – Hands-on cooking experience preparing authentic Italian cuisine
Wine Tasting – Seminar on Italian wine and proper tasting techniques
Culture – Guided tours and visits to cultural sites and activities
All course meetings (except the orientation) are led by certified and qualified Italian-based teachers or guides and are arranged by the American Institute of Foreign Studies (AIFS). There is no need to list this course as an option because ALL participants will automatically be scheduled to take this course.